I recently watched (and very much enjoyed) the movie Taken. In Taken, two teenage girls are kidnapped in Paris. The rest of this thriller is a frantic hunt through the underbelly of the city. Definitely not a great advertisement for the City Of Lights.
Then I started thinking about Invisible, my latest contemporary treasure hunt novel, and I got that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I have organized crime in Las Vegas and (wincing) basic lawlessness in the wilds of Belize.
It is ironic as I truly love both places. Even though I’m not a gambler (other than in business), I travel to Las Vegas at least once a year. I’d go there every month if my schedule allowed (it is a five hour flight). Belize is one of the most wonderful countries on the face of the planet. It is a tropical paradise filled with friendly, helpful people.
My familiarity and passion for both locals is why I partially set my novel there. It is easy for me to describe a place I love and visit often. I know the smell (every city has its own smell). I know the sights (not simply the touristy places). I have my own photos to source from, to jog my memory.
However, bad things happen in my novels. Very bad things. These bad things could happen anywhere. I lived once in a sleepy little town of 3,000 people and we had organized crime. Go out in the country anywhere and you’ll find residents living by their own rules (my niece is 8 and has driven a car).
But because Invisible is set in specific cities, I worry that these crimes will be associated with those places. Although Las Vegas really does have ties to the mob, most of the residents are law-abiding folks. Belize has had its issues (no country is crime-free) but a holiday there is as safe as anywhere.
What do you think? Does a fictional crime influence your perception of the city or country?
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Kimber Chin writes sexy contemporary romances set all over the world. She loves to travel (with her hubby). She also loves the look of a man in a great fitting suit. She combines these two loves with a weekly photo of a man (usually international) in a suit on her site http://businessromance.com/. She is also an avid romance reader and gives away her favorite romance eRead every month.
- About the Author
- Posts in the Past
Hi!
I´m Kimber Chin
and I write contemporary romances based in the sexy world of business.
My second novel, Invisible, is a contemporary treasure hunt through the world of hidden identities.
My first novel, Breach Of Trust, was named Runner Up for Best Contemporary Romance of 2008 by an online review site.
Every week, on my blog, www.businessromance.com,
I feature a new story.
Last night, in New Orleans, several people were shot, badly, and probably randomly, during the Mardi Gras parades. Is it NO’s fault? Do I feel the city is to blame? Nope! Been there often and I love the place. Oh, it definitely has it’s own smell and it’s old world feel, but I don’t associate the bad things that happen with the city. To answer the question, no, I don’t think crime, fictional or otherwise, influences you. I lived near Detroit, MI, for years. Never liked it, but not because of the crime. The city just wasn’t clean and didn’t feel good. Let me ask you, can you feel a city or country?
Allison
Hi Allison!
I love New Orleans. I saw that and my heart squeezed.
But then I enjoy Detroit too. It has a gritty feel to it. And yeah, it feels dirty, I totally agree with you, but I dig that feel. At least to visit.
Kim,
I wouldn’t worry about people associating bad things with a city because of a fiction story. Before reading a novel, people have their own pre-conceived notions about places, usually due to what’s been on the news.
Now I live an hour from N.O. and have never been to a Mardi Gras parade there. When people ask me why not, I ;jokingly’ tell them,”because I’m not suicidal.” However, being raised in a good Cajun small town near Lafayette, I’ve done my share of Mardi-Gras partying. Just this year, the DH and I went to 2 balls and a huge party in B.R., near where we live. As a friend of mine, a former N.O.P.D. cop who was in N.O. to see the parade, said about this year’s N.O. tragedy, “It only takes a couple of idiots to ruin everything.”
Julie